Steerable self-propelled submersible

ABSTRACT

A torpedo, which can be launched conventionally from a torpedo tube trails a hydrophone on a long cable. A shroud encircling the propellers is articulated on a ball and socket joint to steer the torpedo, and to serve as a reel for carrying the long cable until after launching. Holddown fingers which keep the coiled cable in place, are scuttled a measured time after launch.

United States Patent Dorothy B. l-lancks;

Stephen F. Moran, San Diego, Calif. 745,633

July 17 1968 Feb. 23, 1971 the United States of America as representedby the Secretary of the Navy Inventors Appl. No. Filed Patented AssigneeSTEERABLE SELF-PROPELLED SUBMERSIBLE 6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

u.s.c| 114/20, 114/201 1m. c1 ..F42b 19/10, F4 lg 7/04, F41 g 7/00 FieldofSearch 114/20 20.1

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,987,893 6/1961 Robins0n,Jrl14/20UX 3,084,652 4/1963 Lager 114/20 3,205,846 9/1965 114/20 PrimaryExaminer-Benjamin A. Borchelt Assistant Examiner-Thomas H. WebbAttorneys-George J. Rubens, .l.C. Warfield, John W.

McLaren and Truman L. Styner ABSTRACT: A torpedo, which can be launchedconventionally from a torpedo tube trails a hydrophone on a long cable.A shroud encircling the propellers is articulated on a ball and socketjoint to steer the torpedo, and to serve as a reel for carrying the longcable until after launching. Holddown fingers which keep the coiledcable in place, are scuttled a measured time after launch.

PATENTEU FEB23 19?: 3565028 sum 1 OF 3 mm Wm. A M WW? /8 $1M lhh' y flgw 20 Z g I 1 /3a IF\ "Mill; ml 5 I W" W, W W. "W ,2 /2 a 2 DOROTHY Eff/21952 STEPHEN E MORAN ATTORNEYS PATENTEDFEBZBIQH 3.565028 SHEET 2 OF 3KID? 9g, V fiM F/ 6. 3 INVENTORS DOROTHY 8. HANG/(S BgTEPHEN F. MORANSTEERABLE SELF-PROPELLED SUBMERSIBLE The invention described herein maybe manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United Statesof America for governmental purposes without the payment of anyroyalties thereon or therefor.

PRIOR ART The art of torpedoes and torpedo launching is highlydeveloped. Underwater launching of a self-propelled torpedo isrelatively simple, initial propulsion by compressed air or ram beingsufficient to easily clear the torpedo from the launching vessel.

For certain technical reasons it is desirable, now, to permit thetorpedo to tow a transducer or hydrophone at the end of a relativelylong cable. The problem of clearing the torpedo with its long cable andhydrophone becomes a difficult problem.

The object of this invention is to provide a torpedo or submersiblewhich with a towing cable will effectively clear the launching tubes andget under way without fouling the cable.

SUMMARY The torpedo of this invention has no elevator or rudder fins.Instead, a shroud is mounted on radial struts, encircles thecounterrotating propellers, and is articulated on a ball and socketjoint for steering the torpedo. The hydrophone to be towed is attachedat one end of a cable which at the other end is attached to the stern ofthe torpedo hull. During the launch, the cable is coiled upon theoutersurface of the shroud while the hydrophone is carried in a tubeattached to a temporary fin which is scuttled after launching. Holddownfingers for securing the cable coils are attached to or are a part offins which, also, are scuttled after launching. Removal of the fins andfingers permits the coil to slip from the shroud and trail theself-propelled torpedo without fouling.

Other objects and features of this invention will become apparent tothose skilled in the art by referring to the preferred embodimentdescribed in the following specification and shown in the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one torpedo equipped with the featuresof this invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are enlarged elevational and end views, respectively,ofthe stern ofthe torpedo of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view partly in section of the principal parts of the sternofthe torpedo of FIGS. 1-3;

FIG. Sis a view taken on sectional line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 shows a second position of the fin-holding tongs of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 shows details ofthe tong release mechanism of FIGS. 5 and 6.

The torpedo 10 of FIG. 1 is conventional in general contour. At thestern are two counterrotating propellers 22 and 24, FIGS. 3 and 4,enclosed with shroud 18. On the outside of the shroud is coiled thecable 19 the turns of the cable being held in place by fingers 12a, 13a,14a, and 15a, extending rearwardly from the fins 12, 13, 14, and 15. Oneend of the cable 19 is attached, through the insulating fitting 20, tothe signal gear within the torpedo and is attached at the other end tothe transducer 21 which is carried in tube 16 mounted on fin 13. Ameasured time after launch when the torpedo is certain to be clear ofthe launching equipment, the fins 12-15 are detached from the torpedo,and scuttled. Removal of the fins carries away the holddown fingers12a-15a and permits the coil of cable 19 to slip from the shroud. Manyreliable launchings have been made without fouling the cable.

The shroud is mounted upon the articular joint now to be described. Thetorpedo now is steerable with a minimum of drag inasmuch as the finshave been eliminated.

FIG. 4 shows the principal parts of one successful mechanism forscuttling the fins and for steering the torpedo. The counterrotatingpropellers 22 and 24 are mounted upon concentric shafts, respectively,23 and 25. The hubs of the propellers are truncated conical sections tocontinue the streamlined contour of the hull. The two shafts 23 and 25are suitably journaled in the fixed tube 26 which is, in turn, a part ofand supported by the bulkhead 27. Spaces astern of the bulkhead may beflooded, while the space forward is dry. The articular joint for movingthe shroud 18 in elevation as well as in azimuth, comprises the ball 28and complementary socket 29. The ball 28 is threaded to the outer rearend of fixed tube 26. To reduce friction, ball bearings may float inraceways in the surface of either the ball or the socket. Three or moreradi al struts, 18a, connect the socket member 29 to the shroud l8.

Conveniently, power for steering is provided by solenoids, and withnovel mechanical linkage,'cornplete steering control in all dimensionsis effected with on and off or binary voltage signals. Solenoids 30,preferably four in number, are spaced uniformly about the center line ofthe torpedo and are bolted to header 27. Each solenoid has a roundmagnetic armature 31 which pulls on rod 32 to tilt the socket member 29on its ball support. Conveniently, part of the linkage 32 may beflexible to permit freedom of translation of linear motion to rotarymotion of the socket on the ball. According to an important feature ofthis steering mechanism, the socket 29 is returned to a mediumstraight-ahead plane by the compressed coiled springs on roundheadmachine bolts 36. The bolts clear holes in plate 35 and are adjusted inposition by threaded nuts. Sleeves of measured length between the bolthead and plate limit the maximum deflection angle of the shroud. Plate35 is keyed or otherwise fixedly attached to the tube 26. In operation,with solenoids deenergized, the spring-pressed bolts 36 move the shroudinto straight-ahead position. When any of the four solenoids recieved asignal the armature plunger moves a sufficient distance to draw the nearside ofthe socket, and the shroud, against the positive stop provided bythe sleeve on bolt 36. It has been found desirable to evenly space eightof the stop bolts 36 around the periphery of the stop plate 35. Asstated, each stop bolt can be adjusted to normally hold the shroud inits neutral head-on position as well as to determine the maximumdeflection of the shroud from the head-on positron.

As mentioned above a measured time after launch the fins 12-15 must bescuttled and the cable '19 released. Each of the four fins, like the fin13 shown in FIG. 4, are stamped with a protruding ear 13b which extendsthrough a slot in the aft skirt of the torpedo. Each of theears isperforated with an opening as at 13c. Preferably the metal of the finsis light weight aluminum and is anodized to minimize corrosion. Smallfeet 13d, best seen in FIG. 2, is attached to fin 13 to enable the finto stand upright when in operating position.

The mechanism for holding the fins and for releasing the fins on signalis called tongs and is best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Tong plate 40 pivotsfreely on fixed tube 26 so that tong points 40a, 40b, 40c, and 40d canmove into and out of engagement with the corresponding openings 12c,13c, 14c, and 15c. Tong plate 44 is in all important respects identicalto tong plate 40, but is placed on tube 26 and rotatable in the oppositedirection so that the tong points 44a, 44b, 44c, and 4411 engage,respectively, the opposite ends ofthe openings l2c-15c Springs 46 areunder tension and normally bias the tong points to open position.

To rotate the tong points together and into firm contact with the fins,cam surfaces 55 and 5 6, FIG. 7, on the tong plates, respectively, areforced apart by the wedge 48. In addition to the details in FIG. 7, seealso the wedge in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6. As wedge 48 moves toward the rightin FIGS. 4 and 7 on push rod 50, the tongplates 40 and 44 rotatetogether" or, respectively, in counterclockwise and clockwise directionsand releases the tong points from the holes in the ears'on the fins.Push rod 50 is positively held :in its locking position, toward the leftin FIGS. 4 and'7, by a linkage including the fusible wire 51 connectedat one end to the stud screw 52 affixed to the end of push rod 50. Theother end of the fusible wire engages the post 53 extending through butelectrically insulated from the bulkhead 27. When a timing circuit, not

shown, indicates that the time has arrivedfor scuttling the fins a powercircuit is closed through post 53, wire 51, and the grounded frame ofthe torpedo. Sufficient current is applied to burn wire 51 and freeingpush rod 50 to move to the right, in FIG. 4 and 7 in response to acoiled compressed spring on the rod, and hence, permitting springs 46 onthe tong plates to open the tong points and release the fins.

As stated, the hydrophone 21 is carried in the tube 16 on the outer edgeof fin 13. The hydrophone fits loosely in the tube so that the tube andits fin will drop away as the torpedo attains headway and the hydrophonecable 19 is straightened to give velocity in the water. The forward endof the now outstretched cable is embedded in insulating bushing 20 torelieve strain on the seals in the torpedo wall. The shroud l8effectively prevents the spinning propellers from cutting the cable.

We claim:

l. A steerable self-propelled submersible comprising:

an elongated tubular streamlined hull with a generally conical-shapedstern and with a coaxial propeller shaft;

a propeller on the stern end of said shaft;

a tubular protective shroud generally coaxial with said hull andenclosing said propeller;

a transducer cable coiled on said shroud;

a plurality of stabilizing fins disposed about and detachably secured tothe stern of said hull;

holddown fingers attached to said fins and overlying said coil to holdthe turns of said cable in place on the shroud; and

means responsive to a predetermined signal for scuttling said tins andfingers to release said cable.

2. The submersible defined in claim 1 further comprising:

an articular joint adjacent the stern of said hull;

radial struts connecting said shroud to a movable element of said jointto articulate said shroud for steering said submersible.

3. The submersible defined in claim 1, further comprising complementaryball and socket members, one of said member being fixedly attached tothe body of said submersible and the other member being freely movableand constituting the sole support for said shroud.

4. The steerable submersible defined in claim 1 further comprising aholding tube on one of said fins for receiving and retaining atransducer during launch.

5. In the steerable submersible defined in claim 1 said means forscuttling the fins comprising:

two counterrotating tong plates with tong points for engaging recessesin each fin;

tensioned spring means connected to said plates for biasing said tongpoints toward open releasing position;

a wedge placed between cam surfaces on said tong plates for holding saidtong points in tin-engaging position; and means for moving said wedgeoutof said holding position.

6. in the steerable submersible defined in claim 5, the mentionedwedge-moving means comprising:

a push rod carrying said wedge;

a spring for biasing said push rod and wedge into tong releasingposition;

a fusible wire holding said push rod against the push rod spring; and

a circuit for applying sufficient electric power to said wire to destroythe wire.

1. A steerable self-propelled submersible comprising: an elongatedtubular streamlined hull with a generally conicalshaped stern and with acoaxial propeller shaft; a propeller on the stern end of said shaft; atubular protective shroud generally coaxial with said hull and enclosingsaid propeller; a transducer cable coiled on said shroud; a plurality ofstabilizing fins disposed about and detachably secured to the stern ofsaid hull; holddown fingers attached to said fins and overlying saidcoil to hold the turns of said cable in place on the shroud; and meansresponsive to a predetermined signal for scuttling said fins and fingersto release said cable.
 2. The submersible defined in claim 1 furthercomprising: an articular joint adjacent the stern of said hull; radialstruts connecting said shroud to a movable element of said joint toarticulate said shroud for steering said submersible.
 3. The submersibledefined in claim 1, further comprising complementary ball and socketmembers, one of said member being fixedly attached to the body of saidsubmersible and the other member being freely movable and constitutingthe sole support for said shroud.
 4. The steerable submersible definedin claim 1 further comprising a holding tube on one of said fins forreceiving and retaining a transducer during launch.
 5. In the steerablesubmersible defined in claim 1 said means for scuttling the finscomprising: two counterrotating tong plates with tong points forengaging recesses in each fin; tensioned spring means connected to saidplates for biasing said tong points toward open releasing position; awedge placed between cam surfaces on said tong plates for holding saidtong points in fin-engaging position; and means for moving said wedgeout of said holding position.
 6. In the steerable submersible defined inclaim 5, the mentioned wedge-moving means comprising: a push rodcarrying said wedge; a spring for biasing said push rod and wedge intotong releasing position; a fusible wire holding said push rod againstthe push rod spring; and a circuit for applying sufficient electricpower to said wire to destroy the wire.